"Migrant Child" of Banksy

To preserve with the heart, to give back with value

Curated by heart

For Banca Ifis and Ifis art, the recovery of Migrant Child by Banksy in Venice stems from a clear commitment: to preserve the artwork and return it to the public, with care and responsibility.

A commitment that goes beyond restoration. In collaboration with Treccani, the project expands into an educational initiative aimed at schools, ensuring that the art, and the values it embodies, continue to live on in younger generations.

An artwork returned to the city

The conservation effort, initiated by Banca Ifis in 2023, was undertaken in response to the joint appeal issued by the Ministry of Culture, the City of Venice, and the Veneto Region.

Banksy’s Migrant Child was exhibited at Tesa 113 of the Venice Arsenale and will return to life in a space open to everyone’s view and sensitivity, strengthening its connection with the public.

From this initiative comes an educational project developed with Treccani, dedicated to schools and younger generations, with the aim of bringing them closer to art and to the deeper meaning of a shared cultural heritage.

The artwork will once again offer itself to the city as a tangible symbol of sharing, memory, and future: an invitation to experience art as a living, accessible heritage, capable of speaking to each and every person.

The Ifis art documentary on Sky Arte

A story in pictures that retraces the birth, the meaning, and the return of Migrant Child, the artwork created by Banksy in Venice, becoming a symbol of one of the most profound tragedies of our time.

“Migrant Child” returns to tell its story

On the night between May 8th and 9th, 2019, Banksy created Migrant Child in Venice: the child with his feet submerged in water, a life jacket clutched to his chest, and a small flare pointing towards the sky. A powerful image, capable of traveling around the world in just a few days, but destined to be consumed by time and water. Today, that artwork returns to tell its story through Ifis art. Il valore della bellezza, the documentary directed by Francesco Manzato and broadcast as a premiere on Sky Arte.

The educational project with Treccani

The return of Banksy’s artwork Migrant Child has a real impact on the community. On the unveiling of the restoration, Banca Ifis presented an educational project in collaboration with Treccani to bring art and human rights into schools. The initiative, entitled “Migrant Child – Diritti all’opera“, will involve lower secondary schools throughout Italy in the 2026–2027 school year, with the aim of strengthening the bond between civic education and creativity.

From the artwork to the classroom

Starting from an analysis of Migrant Child and its history, from its creation to its restoration, the programme explores the meaning of the work and the message of hope and inclusion it conveys.

The educational materials will guide teachers and students through a reflection on human rights, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the role of art as a language capable of interpreting the present and driving change.

An artwork that continues to create value

With this project, Migrant Child continues its journey.

Having been returned to the public, the artwork now enters schools, becoming an opportunity for dialogue, growth, and participation. For Banca Ifis and Ifis art, safeguarding a cultural asset also means keeping it alive, making it accessible and capable of generating a tangible impact on people and communities.

The educational programme “Migrant Child – Diritti all’opera” is designed for lower secondary schools for the 2026–2027 academic year. Pre-registration is open to teachers and school coordinators to receive a preview of all the project details.

Pre-register

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